Las Vegas Weekly

August 4, 2008 · 8:44 AM

First North Korea rock concert to star Vegas Gumball 3000 stars and cars

By Robin Leach

Robin Leach and Travis Barker.

Photo: Scott Doctor

How on Earth the strict dictators and autocratic army officials of the bizarre North Korean dictatorship are going to take to a rebel rousing “rat pack’” of rockers is way beyond even me! However, that’s the plan for the Gumball 3000 car rally drivers led by drummer Travis Barker, who descend on Vegas exactly one week from today (Monday). Also expected to drive into the Hard Rock Hotel parking lot next week will be MTV’s Rob Dyrdek of Rob & Big, and Johnny Knoxville from Jackass. It’s mind-boggling to think that they’ll fly from here to Pyongyang to present the first ever western music performance -– to promote peace and friendship!

No, I haven’t been over-indulging in the bubbly, nor is it April 1.

Let’s start the story where it begins because this is not the real-life version of the movie Gumball Rally. Back in 1999, British eccentric Maximillion Cooper created the first Gumball 3000 for 50 of his friends on a 3,000-mile party loop around Europe. Ten years later it’s grown into a televised and on-line affair reaching more than 60 million people in more than 150 countries around the world.

Last year I welcomed the drivers as they pulled in to the Hard Rock, and you have to agree with Vanity Fair magazine that it’s become the “most rock and roll car rally ever staged.” Over the decade it’s attracted everybody from Snoop Dogg to Oscar winner Adrien Brody. Every year it’s a new 3,000-mile route for the 120 amazing cars, which are airlifted using the world’s three largest aircraft.

Here’s what to expect next Monday at the Hard Rock. The entrants will drive everything from Ferrari Enzos to Bugatti Veyrons, from Rolls Royces to old Cadillacs -- and even low-riders and an electric car. Expect to see Travis lead in a group to include Ashlee Simpson’s husband, Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy; Janet Jackson’s beau, hip-hopper Jermaine Dupree; punk band Wax’s drummer, Loomis Fall; and a host of other celebrities. In all, 120 cars driven by showbiz stars, sports stars and billionaires.

They all depart San Francisco starting line this coming Saturday and reach Vegas on Monday via overnight stops and parties in L.A. and San Diego. You can follow the excitement on line at the Gumball 3000 Web site. After arrival and check-in here Carey Hart will throw a VIP welcome party at his new Wasted Space club with the Cuban Brothers, Mstrkrft and TJ Lavin and the Alkaholiks.

Then next Tuesday they all fly off to North Korea to watch the Mass Games spectacular annual display of arts and sports and present their rock show as a “global friendship initiative: arranged by no-less a prestigious body than the United Nations! The drivers then fly onto Hangzhou in China to pick up their cars heading north to Shanghai and Xuzhou before crossing the finish line in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on Saturday Aug. 16, just in time to watch one week of Olympic finals!

It just has to be the ultimate ride of a lifetime -– and the video of their show in North Korea will be priceless. I can’t wait to see the pint-sized grey-suited dictator Kim Jong Il movin’ and groovin’ to a wild out of control Travis Barker set!!!! Maybe Travis can even give away some of his Stars and Stripes fashion line to brighten up the place?

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